Act One
Frankford has married Anne, and at the wedding, Anne's family praises her for finding such a good suitor. Also there are Francis and Charles, and they discuss plans for a hunting trip. Two friends, Wendoll and Cranwell use this hunting trip as an opportunity to wager, but when they return the next day from the hunt, neither will admit that the other person's falcon did better in the hunt.
Charles fights Francis and kills two of his men. He is compelled by guilt and repents. He decides to stay and face the authorities, and he is arrested.
Act Two
Frankford celebrates his new wife. When he learns of the fight, he invites Wendoll, but Frankford's servant, Nick, holds a grudge against Wendoll for something. When Charles returns, he is severely impoverished from the legal costs. Shafton sees this opportunity to offer his friend some money, but secretly, Shafton is going to pretend the gift is really payment, and that Charles is selling his home in desperation.
Wendoll is in love with Frankford's new wife. When he tells Anne of his feelings, she warms up to the idea. Nick watches him seduce her, and he vows to avenge the house by murdering Wendoll.
Francis wants vengeance against Charles. Shafton demands that Charles sell his house at a low cost, and Charles refuses. Shafton then employs his plan, lying to the authorities that Charles has decided not to repay a $500 loan. Francis decides to seduce Susan, Charles's wife, to humiliate him, but instead, he falls in love with her.
Act Three
Nick reports Anne's indiscretion to Frankford. At a suggestive game of cards, Frankford puts clues together and goes to bed early, forming a plan to catch them in the act.
Susan is in dire straights without Charles. No one will help her except Francis, but she refuses help from him. Francis decides to help them anyway, helping Charles's charges to be dropped, paying all their debts. The couple contemplates giving Susan to Francis as a gift for the kindness.
Act Four
Nick and Frankford's plan is to make Anne think Frankford is being called away for business. When he leaves, Wendoll and Anne use the opportunity to have sex. They are discovered by Nick and Frankford in the act. Frankford criticizes Anne in front of their children for her betrayal of the family.
After some time, he offers her one option: take anything she wants, and her favorite servants, and move to the manor house 7 miles away, never to contact the Frankford family again.
Act Five
Charles helps to make Susan look attractive, and he takes her to Francis as a gift. She really doesn't enjoy this. They are arranged to be married.
Frankford mourns his wife's absence, and he finds that she left behind her lute. He sends Nick with the lute. Cranwell decides to fill in Sir Francis on the Anne situation. At the manor house, Anne begs Nick to tell his master that Anne is torn up in remorse, suicidal even. Wendoll comes a-calling, but Anne shuts him down.
Charles and Francis travel together to visit Anne, with Susan with them. They tell the dying woman (starving herself) that Frankford will visit. He comes and offers forgiveness, and she dies.
